By James Harrison
Strong indications emerged on Sunday that critical Federal Government Agencies are embroiled in employment without advertising vacancies.
The Network reported its investigations revealed that the top agencies are discretely recruiting hundreds of staff without following the standard procedure of advertising job openings for a competitive process.
The three agencies involved in the recruitments without advertisements in the National dailies are the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
Investigations revealed that the CBN has employed more people through the back door than the others.
The CBN had employed 850 new members of staff in December, the NCDMB 100, and AMCON 70.
Investigation revealed that between 2014 and 2022, the staff strength of the CBN increased from slightly over 7,000 to 14,000.
The Network gathered that the apex bank employed the 850 new workers in December 2022.
It was learnt that the Director, Human Resources, Amina Habib, who was alarmed by the large number of employees raised the concern with the leadership of the bank that the new employees were too much for the apex bank to absolve.
Habib was said to have complained that the willful recruitments was affecting the balance sheet of the bank and should be put on hold.
However, the top management of Central Bank under Godwin Emefiele was said to have issued a stern directive to the lady to do her job.
The management was said to have told her that somebody else would do her job if she does not do it.
The Network gathered that the beneficiaries of the latest secret recruitment exercise who are mostly from influential politicians in the land were sent for orientation at the Central Bank of Nigeria Learning Centre, Satellite Town, Alakija, Lagos.
Investigation revealed that more and more names are being sent to Alakija, Lagos for the orientation programme even though no advertisement has been made for job vacancies.
Our correspondent contacted the Spokesman of the CBN to clarify the alleged secret recruitments in the bank but he said he was not aware of such a development.
“I am not aware of what you are talking about.” He said
It was gathered that the case of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, is not exactly different.
Without any advertisement, the NCDMB has recruited 100 new members of staff.
A source said the exercise was carried out in such a way that the public were kept out of it.
Like the CBN, only those who have very influential contacts in government were nominated by them for the jobs.
On Saturday the Network contacted a Manager in charge of Communications at the NCDMB, Mr Kikile, but he did not pick his calls.
The calls were repeated on Monday and the response was still not different. Also a message sent to him on WhatsApp had not been responded to as at the time of filing this report.
However, a management staff of the organization said that the employment process started two years ago and that the interview process took place in different stages.
The source promised to forward a copy of the advert that was placed two years ago but did not keep to the promise. Further calls to remind the source of the issue of the said advert were ignored.
But a source who participated in the interview process and stopped said there was no advertisement as he only got to know about it from a staff of the organization by accident.
The source said that the employment process was skewed to favour a select group of people.
Our correspondent could not confirm this claim.
“There was no announcement, no information to any member of the public. They just picked names from influential people. They have recruited over 100 people, and it was a secret affair.
“This thing they are doing is unfortunate. Why are they not advertising it so that others who are qualified to participate in a fair recruitment process can participate. Is it a crime for somebody to be a Nigerian without a political heavy weight behind you? It is unfortunate.”
Furthermore, a management staff at AMCON said that the organization had concluded recruitment of 70 people without advertising such vacancies to the public. The same pattern was followed.
On Monday, the Network called the Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Jude Nwauzor for his reaction, but he did not pick his calls.
Also, he had not responded to a WhatsApp message sent to him on the issue.
Credit: THE NETWORK.
